AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 11, TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN RATE OF PAY BECAUSE OF SEX.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 11, Title 19 of the Delaware Code by adding a new Section 1107A to read as follows:

"§1107A. Differential in rate of pay because of sex prohibited

(a) No employee shall be paid a wage at a rate less than the rate at which an employee of the opposite sex in the same establishment is paid for equal work on a job the performance of which requires equal skill, effort and responsibility, and which Is performed under similar working conditions, except where payment is made pursuant to a differential based on:

1) a seniority system;

2) a merit system;

3) a system which measures earnings by quantity or quality of production; or

4) any other factor other than sex; provided, that an employer who is paying a wage rate differential In violation of this subsection shall not, in order to comply with the provisions of this subsection, reduce the wage rate of any employee.

(b) No labor organization, or its agents, representing employees of an employer having employees subject to any provisions of this section shall cause or attempt to cause such an employer to discriminate against an employee in violation of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) For purposes of administration and enforcement, any amounts owing to any employee which are withheld in violation of this section shall be deemed to be unpaid wages under this chapter.

(d) As used in this section, the term 'labor organization' means any organization of any kind, or any agency or employee representative committee or plan, in which employees participate and which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or conditions of work."